1. Field of the Invention
The present invention relates to methods for people to communicate with each other online. More particularly, the invention concerns a secure synchronous online messaging system.
2. Description of the Related Art
The Internet has dramatically changed the way people communicate. As one example, e-mail enables many people across the world asynchronously exchange messages and attached files. E-mail is relayed from source to destination by mail servers of the sender and receiver. In addition to e-mail, people also communicate over the Internet using chat rooms. With chat rooms, a hosting server conducts real-time communications between participants that have affirmatively logged-in to the server in order to make themselves available to chat with any other users that have entered that chat room. Another mode of Internet communications, instant messaging, involves an instant messaging server that works in real-time to relay messages between participants. Unlike chat rooms, participants need not log into a chat room server. Rather, a user's instant messaging software works with the instant messaging server to search for any of the user's preselected instant messaging “buddies” that happen to be online. The user can then invoke the instant messaging server to coordinate one-on-one or group discussions with any one or more of the identified buddies.
Since its introduction, instant messaging has taken the wired world by storm. At home, people use instant messaging to find and conduct friendly online chats with their friends and family. At work, business people use instant messaging to communicate with colleagues, whether located across the country or the same office.
One popular instant messaging service today is AOL Instant Messenger (AIM), which is provided by AMERICA ONLINE INCORPORATED (AOL). AIM is already the subject of various U.S. patents and patent applications. Instant messaging services, such as AIM, represent a significant development in online communications, and therefore enjoy widespread use today. Nonetheless, engineers and software programmers at AOL are still working to enhance and improve the performance, efficiency, and usefulness of today's instant messaging systems. One area of possible focus concerns the security with which instant messages are delivered.